1inhibit something(formal)to prevent something from happening or make it happen more slowly or less frequently than normalA lack of oxygen may inhibit brain development in the unborn child.Financial considerations are inhibiting access to higher education.Alcohol significantly inhibits the action of the drug.

2inhibit somebody (from something/from doing something)to make somebody nervous or embarrassed so that they are unable to do somethingThe managing director's presence inhibited them from airing their problems.The fear of dismissal inhibited employees from raising problems.

Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘forbid (a person) to do something’): from Latininhibere